A place for me to share my witterings and musings as well as my latest craft projects

Sunday, 10 May 2009

Dragon massacre and boot fair bargains

Today didn't get off to a good start at all.

For the past 16 years or so, I have been collecting Pocket Dragons. I have about 60 in a display cabinet, hidden away in the bedroom. I have even managed to train Cara to look but not to touch. This morning, at approximately 6am, my husband decided he needed to move the cabinet. I have no idea why, but rather than carefully considering his options and then gently pushing it one way and then the other so as to move it slowly and precisely, he grabs hold of the back and tilts it forward.

I was still half asleep when he started this mission, however the clatter of my precious dragons hitting the glass and being thrown about inside the cabinet was enough to fully wake me up. I screamed his name, sat up on the bed, eyes wide open and mouth agape. I must admit it was his words next rather than his actions that tipped me over the edge. "Don't be so dramatic" he told me. I burst into tears. "That's 16 years of my life there" I told him. "People have bought me those as presents for different reasons because they remind me and them of certain things." He walked off in a huff. I surveyed the damage to find that he had managed to break 3 of them. Cara came into the bedroom and asked me, "what's wrong mummy? Why are you crying?" She tried to help me pick them all up, bless her. A damn sight more sympathetic than H was.

A short while later he did apologise (in a begrugingly and half mumbled way) and told me he would replace them ("How?" I questionned him knowing they stopped producing them a few years back "Ebay?" he asked me) He knew he was well and truly in the dog house.

We got ready and headed to a local boot fair. As a child, I was bought up on boot fairs - they were still a relatively new thing back then I think and mum and dad often reminisce about some of the boot fairs we went to when my brother and I were small. As I grew up, I soon realised they were a fantastic way to make my pocket money go further (plus dad always gave me a little extra when we got there!). When I hit my late teens, I tended not to go as much - instead of getting up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday morning, I was instead reaching the point where that was the time I was going to bed after a Saturday night out! I still used to give mum and dad a 'shopping list' of things to look out for though! As an adult, and now especially as a parent, they are a firm favourite for a way of saving money.

Anyway - after the dragon massacre, one of the first stalls we looked at had a collection of none other, than some Pocket Dragons for sale. H said it was fate and bought the lot for me. I kind of thought I should forgive him at that point!

I also bought this book for 10p. I used to read these as a teenager and loved them. My mum commented recently that I am a very sentimental person and it's true I am. I love collecting anything from my childhood, books I read, toys I had, etc. In the back of my mind I guess I would love it if Cara wanted to read them when she's older, but I won't force them on her. For now, they sit in my study (collecting dust!)

I also got two more books - they were both 50p. What a bargain! The paper one is for me to have a look through and I got the knitting one for someone I 'know' (an Internet wierdie!) who loves knitting. I e-mailed her to see if she wanted it and she said it was on her Amazon wishlist, so that's good then!

We spent the afternoon in the garden, planting some new things and tidying up. So, not too bad a day after a very shakey start!

1 comment:

Ohhh I'm so sorry about your dragons! It reminded me of the time my son broke a picture frame that had my newborn baby picture in it. It was 8 inches by 10 inches. Since he couldn't fix it, he cut the photo down to about 4 by 6 and put it in another frame! I almost died when I saw it. I hope your husband finds enough dragons to replace the broken ones, even though the originals really can't ber replaced. I say glue 'em or take them to a pottery place to have them repaired.

Oh, I have had no one sign up for my Pay it Forward. I am crushed, I tell you!

To do....

2012I'm rolling some of these over from 2011 and adapting others. We'll see how I go!1) Blog more regularly!2) Go to the gym more regularly3) Take Cara for a day trip to London4) Go for afternoon tea5) Complete 1/2 marathon in September!6) Take Cara to Disneyland Paris7) Pay off credit card8) Complete a quilt9) Go on a night sleeper train10)Lose weight!

2011As 2010 closes, I am beginning to look to 2011 and, instead of making New Year's resolutions am more thinking of an 'ambition list'. Some things have been on my 'to do' list for a long time. Others are just things I want to achieve. I'm hoping that recording here will 'encourage' me more!

1) Blog at least once a week - failed miserably!2) Complete Photo a Day project for 2011 396 photos to represent 365 days.3) Open a bank account for Cara Think she's got more money saved than me!4) Close bank account no longer used5) Pay off student loan6) Pay off catalogue bill7) Pay off store card8) Pay off credit card - Hmmm. Still working on this one!9) Read at least one book a month - fail. I did read a fair few - especially when I discovered the Kindle app for my phone!10) Go to the gym at least three times a week - didn't manage this for the whole year, but I did for a fair while.11) Buy an external hard drive and back up lap top12) Enter ballot for tickets for the olympics So, I didn't get any, but I did apply!13) Go on a family picnic14) Finish making (at least) one quilt (of the many that have been started) - still many unfinished!15) Play Pooh Sticks Went to Pooh corner and tried to play Pooh Sticks. It was very dry though!16) Buy a dress for the school prom - didn't go to the prom, so didn't need a dress!17) Watch four 'classic' films I've never seen before - fail. I did join Love Film, but I didn't watch any classics!18) Go for afternoon tea - will definately try this one this year!19) Go camping Went with C and my nieces. Had a fabulous time. They keep asking me when we can go again!20) Write our wills - fail. I guess the thing on this years list will be to sort out the divorce as opposed to the wills!21) Go to the theatre saw The Jersey Boys22) Go to a London market Went to Greenwich Market a few times as well as Borough Market. Loved it!23) Take Cara on a train We went on the Tenterden Steam train with Nanny and Grandad - brilliant!24) Run a mile in 7 minutes (last achieved c.1999) - fail. I focused on running 1.6km which I managed to do in a time I was proud of. This year the focus will be on distance as opposed to speed!25) Get a gait analysis done